ADAPTATION "nit HUM irnr i«»K mimmi i'mi.mT\mv3
by
MIXAY ADAM KHAMPHOUNE
A thesis submitted to the faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Architecture
Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism Carleton University
Ottawa, Ontario
©2011 MIXAY ADAM KHAMPHOUNE
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1*1
Canada
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Abstract
Canadian society grows and is shaped by a forward acceptance of
immigrants and refugees from around the globe. Canada's humanitarian
efforts in regards to sponsoring and resettling thousands of 'displaced
people' help relieve prolonged refugee situations occurring abroad.
Being from a family welcomed to Canada as refugees, through private-
sponsorship, served as the inspiration for this thesis which explores how
an architect could respond to this humanitarian initiative.
An architect's involvement in affordable housing initiatives can contribute
to the integration of 'sponsored refugees' by helping create suitable
housing in hospitable environments and supportive communities. This
allows sponsored refugees to focus on establishing a stable livelihood so
they can become viable citizens who are able to contribute to society and
willing to engage with their new community.
Through the theme of 'adaptation', a transitional housing strategy is
explored in this thesis that proposes integrating affordable housing on
'greyfield sites' (particularly obsolescent commercial retail developments)
to assist in the resettlement process. This thesis explores the idea that
the discussion of architecture and urbanism has implications in realizing
a more comprehensive approach to resettlement as part of a
humanitarian initiative.
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Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Acknowledgements
I would like to take this moment to express my sincere gratitude to all
those who helped me realize this thesis.
Thanks to my advisor and colleagues for their guidance, advice, and
support during this entire process. It helped me foster a thesis that I am
proud to present as part of my contribution to the discussion and study of
architecture.
I must also thank my family and friends for their constant encouragement
and enthusiasm. Their support reinforced my determination to see this
endeavor through.
Finally, thanks must go out to Canadians who have welcomed so many
people as part of a humanitarian relief effort. This thesis would not be
possible otherwise.
in
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT II
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS III
TABLE OF CONTENTS IV
LIST OF FIGURES V
PREFACE: HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE 1
1.0 DESIGN AND HUMANITARIANISM 7
2.0 RESETTLING THE DISPLACED 12
2.1 The Need for Affordable Housing 17 2.2 A Reliance on Social Housing. 21 2.3 Co-operative Communities as an Alternative 31
3.0 RETHINKING PREFABRICATION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING 37 3.1 Adaptable Building Strategies 42
4.0 ARCHITECTURE FOR ADAPTING COMMUNITIES 47 4.1 Site Strategy: Adaptation of the Marginalized Greyfield 56 4.2 Re-Adaptation, and Alternative Applications 65
5.0 CONCLUSIONS 68
REFERENCES 71 Bibliography 71 Individual Essays 75 Journal Articles 77 Reports and Papers 79 News Articles 80 Web Resources 81
APPENDICES 82 Project Design Development and Presentation Slides 82 Notes 93
IV
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List of Figures
Figure 1 Katrina Cottage designed for expansion 8
Figure 2 Modernist postulates mirrored in early social housing (Le
Corbusier's 1925 Plan Voism for Paris juxtaposed to the composition of
American social housing project Pruitt-lgoe 1955 in St Louis) 21
Figure 3 HOPE VI Example (Broadway Homes public housing redesigned by
Urban Design Associates to become Broadway Overlook community)
illustrating New Urbanist principles 23
Figure 4 Urban Renewal Scheme of Regent Park (1954) 24
Figure 5 Regent Park Redevelopment Plan (2005) 26
Figure 6 Site Composition of Coopers Street (before and after
redevelopment) 28
Figure 7 Coopers Street Regeneration Conceptual drawing of building
arrangement 29
Figure 8 Coopers Street Regeneration - Photograph of courtyard garden 29
Figure 9 Map - Site of Iroko Coin Street Housing highlighted in yellow 33
Figure 10 Iroko Coin Street Housing- Photograph of interior courtyard 34
Figure 11 Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre (view from courtyard to exterior
fagade) 35
Figure 12 Murray Grove Housing (1999) construction and completion 39
Figure 13 Cite A Docks 40
Figure 14 Unite d'Habitation in Marseilles and Le Corbusier's bottle rack
concept 42
Figure 15 Archigram's proposal for 'Plug-in City' 43
Figure 16 Nakagin Capsule Tower construction, capsule detail 43
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Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Figure 17 Habitat'67 44
Figure 18 Leonard Avenue Rooftop Apartments Rendering of exterior and
courtyard concept 45
Figure 19 Loft Cube, designed by Werner Aisslmger, a contemporary
example of a manufactured/mobile home 46
Figure 20 The phased redevelopment of East Gate Town Centre illustrated
48
Figure 21 Photographs of the Paseo Calorado after redevelopment 49
Figure 22 Sectional Perspective of proposal for 'New Suburbanism' Lewis
Tsurumaki Lewis Architects 50
Figure 23 Row housing supposedly constructed above a mall in Jakarta,
Indonesia 51
Figure 24 Safety screens used in construction and renovations 52
Figure 25 Hotel Crillon in Pans, France example of scaffolding camouflage
53
Figure 26 Pompidou Centre 54
Figure 27 Exterior fagade of The New York Times office in New York City 55
Figure 28 Anal Map of Heron Gate Mall 56
Figure 29 Exterior image/impression of Heron Gate Mall 57
Figure 30 Original layout of Heron Gate Mall 58
Figure 31 Proposal Overview 59
Figure 32 North and South Fagade 60
Figure 33 Rooftop Courtyard Garden 60
Figure 34 Vignette illustrating the nature of the courtyard space 61
Figure 35 Scaffolding support frame 62
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Figure 36 Vignette illustrating one example of potential images appearing
on the scaffolding which acts as canvas for the display of art (for
i nsta nee pa i nti ngs by the G rou p of Seven) 62
Figure 37 Modular Housing Exterior View 63
Figure 38 Floor Plan Layouts 64
Figure 39 Existing redevelopment plans as proposed 66
Figure 40 Phase 2 Proposal (anticipating redevelopment) 66
Figure 41 Manufactured Infill homes 67
VII
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Preface: Humanitarian Initiative
"To make design more relevant is to reconsider what 'design'
issues are Rejecting the limits we have defined for ourselves,
we should instead assume that design can play a positive role
in seeking answers to many different kinds of challenges We
have limited our potential be seeing most major human
concerns as unrelated to our work"
Bryan Bell
Expanding Design Towards Greater Relevance1
The architecture profession dedicates the majority of their expertise
towards design challenges for which they are explicitly approached and
remunerated. However, I felt this thesis would provide an opportunity to
explore the idea of humanitarian initiative which sees beyond the
traditional scope of the architecture profession and requires an
investment by designers.
I initially found myself compelled towards exploring humanitarian relief as
a way to recognize and engage with my family's history of being refugees
themselves. I wanted this particular humanitarian initiative to serve as
the inspiration for my thesis which focuses on the implications of
architectural design and planning to address the sponsorship and
resettlement of refugees in Canada.
To explain my position, allow me to elaborate on the connection to my
family's history to help illustrate the guiding principles and motivations for
such an exploration.
1 Bryan Bell and Katie Wakeford Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism (New York Metropolis, 2008), p 15
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Project 4000 A Story of Humanitarian Initiative
Southeast Asia has endured a long history of conflict that has resulted in
the mass uprooting and displacement of its people. This pressure
reached an apex brought on by the communist regimes of Southeast
Asia after the fall of Saigon in 1975. Under growing communist rule and
corruption, deplorable human rights violations were committed which
ultimately spurred a mass exodus of people who fled in fear of
persecution. The surge of people fleeing the region became evident
during the summer of 1979 and became known to the world as the "boat
people crisis". Those who sought asylum did so in refugee camps in
neighboring countries which placed an unsustainable burden on
neighbouring countries which required global support to help alleviate
such pressure. In light of the growing turmoil, Canada initially
announced its intentions to accept 5,000 refugees as part of its global
refugee intake. This number would reach 34,000 people who would
eventually be resettled across Canada.
Particular initiative was demonstrated in Ottawa and could be credited in
part to Ottawa mayor of the time, Marion Dewar. In light of the growing
outpour of support to help resettle refugees, Marion Dewar made a
commitment in principle to welcome half of the proposed target of
refugees which Canada had committed to at the time. Hence project
4000 was born as a grassroots initiative to help resettle refugees in
Ottawa. Understandably, there was skepticism whether Ottawa had the
ability to provide necessities such as employment or accommodations for
such a potentially large influx of newcomers. This however did not deter
the movement, going on to becoming a non-profit charitable co-operation
and working towards mobilizing support from the Ottawa community that
saw the creation of hundreds of sponsorship groups to help integrate
newcomers.
2 Reference to facts published in Gift of Freedom: How Ottawa welcomed the Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian refugees by Brian Buckley
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There was a unique difference which could be noticed between
government-assisted refugees and their privately-sponsored
counterparts of Project 4000. Whereas, government-assisted refugees
could be expected to have their immediate physical needs met, they
lacked the extensive network of personal contacts and community
support that private sponsors could provide to their families. Despite not
having extensive South East Asian cultural knowledge they had
knowledge of Canadian society. This provided many of the refugees a
support system in order to familiarize themselves with the very different
culture. This was certainly a catalyst for new arrivals towards becoming
self-sufficient. This coupled with the immense generosity of the Ottawa
people in the form of accommodations, job opportunities, charitable
donations of clothing and such, significantly helped refugees establish
themselves in a society in which they came to with practically nothing.
Looking back at this moment, it is difficult to imagine something such as
this having happened when considering how complex it would be to
orchestrate and attempt today. The legacy of Project 4000 is particularly
significant to the 3,600 Indochinese refugees which were resettled in the
city of Ottawa. More importantly, this action illustrates the ability for
people to come together and evoke critical humanitarian relief. Because
of this act of humanitarian initiative, I wanted to use this thesis to
recognize and honour the influence people can have in the lives of
others given the will and conviction to see such humanitarian endeavors
through.
I've approached this thesis with a humanitarian outlook to explore how
architectural design can respond to helping integrate 'sponsored
refugees' as part of Canada's global humanitarian initiative. The United
Nations' defines a 'refugee' as: "a person who owing to a well founded
fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership
of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of
[their] nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail
[them self] of that country." The term itself is too loaded and far
overreaching. Essentially, my thesis looks to address those who have 3
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
lived in protracted refugee situations and are sponsored by Canadians to
become part of their society. From this point on I will refer to them as
'sponsored refugees' as they are more or less referred to as either
government-sponsored or privately-sponsored refugees.
In this respect, my thesis focuses on the integration of sponsored
refugees into Canadian society. As proposed by the United Nation's:
Integration is a mutual, dynamic, multifaceted and on-going
process From a refugee's perspective integration requires a
preparedness to adapt to the lifestyle of the host society
without having to lose one's own cultural identity From the
point of view of the host society, it requires a willingness for
communities to be welcoming and responsive to refugees and
for public institutions to meet the needs of a diverse
population
Upon arrival, sponsor refugees are assisted with the provision of
transitional housing which helps with initial challenges. However, long
term reliance on transitional housing for prolonged periods often prevent
people from moving forward with family, personal and career objectives.
It is not uncommon for refugees to struggle to secure suitable housing
arrangements that meet their needs.
Many who followed the housing trajectories of recently sponsored
refugees advise that the most important policy priority is to increase the
supply of affordable rental housing. Unaffordable housing drains
household resources limiting expenditures on other basic necessities like
education, health care, clothing and food while poor housing conditions
threaten stable family life and contributes to a negative feeling about
one's surroundings.
3 UNHCR's Refugee Resettlement An International Handbook to Guide Reception and Integration (2002)
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The dilemma is that many families face this precarious housing state and
the question remains: what building form can the city take on to address
the concerns of such newly arriving and financially vulnerable people
struggling to re-establish a livelihood? Understandably:
"Housing is only part of a complex set of factors that contribute
to successful integration including language skills, labour force
success, absence of discrimination, access to adequate
information and support, neighbourhood characteristics and a
host of other issues Adequate, affordable and suitable housing
cannot address all these issues but it can provide the stable
basis from which refugees can deal more easily with other
challenges "
Before continuing any further I must express a disclaimer. As a designer,
my intent in this thesis is to address the design and planning criteria of
housing as opposed to validate or debate public policies that drive such
endeavors. With this thesis, I am proposing how architectural discourse
can respond to the needs of sponsored refugees as part of a more
comprehensive approach to resettlement. I have arranged my thesis to
elaborate on this perspective.
The first chapter, Design and Humanitanamsm, briefly discusses
architects' involvement in humanitarian initiatives which have mainly
addressed people's need for shelter and housing. I have approach the
issue of aiding in the resettlement of sponsored refugees by recognizing
this need for affordable and sustainable housing options in Canada.
The second chapter, Resettling the Displaced, examines the housing
concerns of sponsored refugees. The consensus of researchers is that
there is a need for affordable housing in more hospitable family oriented
neighbourhood environments to help ease the integration process.
Because of the gap between policy and programming, stimulating the
4 Tom Carter The Housing Circumstances of Recently Arrived Refugees: The Winnipeg Experience (July 2008), pvn
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development of social housing has been seen as a way to recognize the
responsibility to better align these issues. However, another alternative
which could have significantly more benefits is stimulating the
development of more community oriented management such as housing
co-operatives to help elicit more community engagement. By examining
desirable housing models, strategies can be devised which better reflect
the needs of struggling families in order to provide them with the support
they need to integrate.
The third chapter, Rethinking Prefabrication for Affordable Housing, re
examines the long held belief and potential of prefabrication in creating
affordable housing. The mobile home is perhaps the most prevalent
example of affordable housing in America, yet it has not been accepted
as a durable solution. Manufactured homes, that maintain the appeal of
traditional stick-built homes, can become part of a more 'adaptive'
process to building. Homes that have the ability to be transplanted can
allow for a more elaborate urban infill strategy to be developed which
comprises the design portion of this thesis.
All this has been taken into consideration in developing a project
proposal which is presented in the fourth chapter, Architecture for
Adapting Communities. The proposition is to create a hospitable
neighbourhood environment by integrating housing on traditional
greyfleld sites (a term used to describe commercial retail developments)
in order to bring more vitality to underutilized areas and help generate
benefits for all involved. The project is a speculation on how to generate
urban environments that can become a significant part of the
resettlement process.
The concluding chapter re-examines the motivations and purpose of this
thesis and proposes points for further discussion.
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1.0 Design and Humanitarianism
"Architecture and all the design professions are undergoing a
major transformation that is both proactive and reactive
proactive as a search for roles with greater relevance and
reactive as a response to the humanitarian and environmental
crises facing the world "
Thomas Fisher
Public-Interest Architecture A Needed and Inevitable Change 5
The architect's role as the 'master builder' is reflected in their inherit
involvement in addressing issues of housing. These issues span from
the need for basic shelter in the developing world and trauma-stricken ar
eas to the lack of sustainable, affordable housing in the industrialized
world. There are a growing number of design professionals and
architects who have expanded the scope of their design work into the
field of humanitarianism. Humanitarian efforts align with dominant
ethical traditions such as: virtue ethics, that asks that we look at the well
being of others and live modestly and with humility; deontological ethics,
that asks us to act with others in mind; and utilitarianism: the goal of
maximizing the happiness of as many as possible.6
This belief and approach is embodied by such non-profit organizations
such as Architecture for Humanity. Their humanitarian work in
distressed areas of the world uses design to: "provide access to clean
water, sanitation and power; develop shelter during post disaster
situations; contribute to rebuilding efforts; mitigate effects of rapid
urbanization in unplanned settlements; create space to meet the needs
5 Thomas Fisher "Public-Interest Architecture A Needed and Inevitable Change " Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism Bell, Bryan, and Katie Wakeford (New York Metropolis, 2008), p 8 6 Thomas Fisher "The Ethics of Housing the Poor" Implications Vol 4, Issue 0 1
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of the disabled; and reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment
to address climate change".7 These are just some of the fundamental
goals that designers, who are interested in humanitarian initiatives,
currently work to address.
There is a growing appreciation for designers in disaster mitigation. On
the pragmatic side, agencies dealing with disaster relief tend to see an
architect's involvement as an opportunistic attempt to generate a design
which is more likely impossible to implement. This has been met with
skepticism of the ingenuity and persistence of designers. However
designers recognize humanitarian endeavors as a process rather than a
short-term solution to a problem.
, ! • ' / ' >,", "* " ' . ' • ?*
Figure 1: Katrina Cottage designed for expansion 8
The Katrina Cottage designed by New York architect Marianne Cusato in
response to Hurricane Katrina is an interesting example of the relevance
of design in humanitarian efforts. The compact portable prefabricated
house was designed and fashioned with careful consideration that it
would still exist beyond its use as emergency housing and become part
of an expandable model. What this demonstrates is that architects are
able to devise something more adaptable, durable and sustainable which
can be invaluable in the long-term, something which all humanitarian
action should consider in order to make meaningful and lasting changes.
7 Architecture for Humanity <architectureforhumanity org> 8 Katrina Cottages <katnnacottages com>
8
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These adaptive principles employed during disaster relief could also be
valuable in refugee camps however wartime situations are different. The
perceptions of dealing with people who cross boarders require an
understanding that, as generous as host governments are to people from
a neighboring country, there is an underlying position that repatriation is
always imminent. This assumption is undermined by the fact that
refugee crises do not have a 'set time limit' and usually end up lasting
longer than anyone would readily admit. Essentially, this mentality is
compounded into the very fabric of such refugee camps which are built
on short-term principles yet often serve a long-term role.9 Refugees are
unable to return home because of the severe threat of persecution and
are confined and dependent on the camp because no other alternative
exists. In such circumstances, industrialized nations have stepped in to
help provide a bondable solution to alleviating these protracted refugee
situations.
This creates another form of humanitarian initiative, the inspiration for this
thesis, which is the sponsorship and resettlement of refugees in a third
host nation. The acceptance of sponsored refugees in Canada is
primarily a way to increase population and labour market growth. Some
may arrive with skills and a notable level of education from their countries
of origin. Many face the challenge of learning a new language, having to
secure employment, becoming familiar with the city and making social
connections, all expected in a short period of time. While their immediate
housing needs are initially provided for, some may require additional
housing support to help progress given such a demanding expectation to
adapt quickly. Programs that can help position them in supportive
community environments can serve as both a progressive state of
transitional housing and a catalyst which allows them to focus on other
challenges beyond their precarious housing arrangement.
Humanitarian design initiatives also address the vulnerable in
industrialized nations and have mostly addressed ways of creating
9 Jim Lewis "The Exigent City" New York Times June, 8, 2008 9
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affordable housing. There are many movements which facilitate this idea;
perhaps the most recognized in America is Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 in Americus, Georgia. The
movement pairs those in need with socially conscious volunteers to build
simple and decent houses. Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit faith
based organization with a mission to mobilize volunteers and community
partners to build affordable houses and promote homeownership as a
means to break the cycle of poverty. Their belief is:
"As the poverty cycle is broken, and a family's financial
situation improves their dependence on local social services is
decreased In addition, pride of ownership leads to a renewed
sense of confidence, and along with their stable, long-term
housing arrangement, they become long-term contributors to
the community and the local economy "
Habitat for Humanity
Over tens of thousands of people have volunteered and are from all parts
of society spanning over 90 countries and are responsible for placing
225,000 families into new homes around the world. The movement in
Canada has resulted in the placement of more than 1400 families. The
focus demographic that Habitat assists is working families who live in
financially vulnerable situations, who are able to repay an interest-free
mortgage, and qualify to become a partner family. Under the condition
that they must contribute to "sweat equity" in the form of 500 volunteer
hours, the families receive an affordable no-interest mortgage geared to
their monthly income which goes into a revolving fund used to build more
homes. While supplies are donated, many other purchases are needed
such as land and the hiring of licensed trades people to ensure all homes
built meet industry safety codes.10
The model which Habitat for Humanity uses is interesting in that it could
apply to helping sponsored refugees. However, there are limitations to
10 Habitat for Humanity <habitatca> 10
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
taking a grassroots approach to a humanitarian policy that goes far
beyond the reasonable scope of such a movement. Fundamentally,
housing concerns for such a particular group are more appropriately
addressed through the expansion of government sponsored social
housing initiatives which is covered in the following chapter.
In summary, the purpose of this chapter is to reinforce the idea that
architects can contribute to humanitarian efforts by addressing people's
need for housing. Whether it is the developing world or industrialized
nations, there is a great need for decent and dignified housing to help
foster a stable livelihood. Although this thesis was inspired to address
the particular needs of sponsored refugees, this is not meant to privilege
them above many other existing struggling populations who may also
require assistance. This thesis can also respond more generally to the
need for affordable dignified housing for existing struggling populations
of Canadians who also want to contribute to society. The main
difference between such groups is the added complexity of having to
adapt from very different circumstances. Many sponsored refugees do
not have any perception of Canadian culture or society. This can be very
unnerving and many of their initial perceptions upon arrival can have an
influence on how willing they are to integrate and adapt. These factors
are addressed in the following chapter in order to help identify what
planning and design considerations can be made to help address their
needs and better reflect the humanitarian policies that account for such
situations.
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2.0 Resettling the Displaced
"Architecture was explicitly scripted into this conventional
understanding of migrancy Its capacities for grounding,
delimiting, and accommodating were readily and routinely put
to work in the material, social, cultural and emotional
reterntonalization of uprooted migrants '
Stephen Caines
Drifting Architecture and Migrancy11
Newcomers to Canada face considerable challenges in resettling. For
many, having to re-establish their livelihoods can be overwhelming giving
that the majority of immigrants arriving in Canada are from nations that
have considerably different customs than Western society. Their
willingness to adapt to Canadian ways of living is imperative in order for
them to successfully integrate with the rest of society. The other part of
this integration is ensuring that host cities have suitable housing
accommodations to help address their particular needs.
'Sponsored refugees' arrive in a particularly vulnerable state for obvious
reasons including lack of credit, transportation issues, unfamiliarity with
their new environment, and language difficulties. Many of them also
arrive in large households with many having children, or as part of a
multigenerational or even multifamily arrangement. Their immediate
housings concerns are addressed with 'transitional housing'. Transitional
housing is government funded (or privately sponsored) with residencies
varying up to a year although they can be extended at the resident's
expense. During this time sponsored refugees are taught basic domestic
skills and customs and assisted in their search for alternative housing
arrangements and securing job opportunities. There is an imperative to
1 1 Stephen Caines Drifting: Architecture and Migrancy (London Routledge, 2004), p 2
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see that they do not become dependant on such housing because it may
hinder and deter them from moving forward.
The objective is to see that these people are resettled and preferably
working towards home ownership. Home ownership remains particularly
significant in North American culture.
"Most commonly, [North] America has been viewed as
exceptional because it has for so many decades been a land of
opportunity, the place where immigrants could make good
The meaning of home ownership has usually been treated
as self-evident for most writers it is the unambiguous indicator
of economic well-being social mobility, and status "12
Home ownership has been glorified as an indicator of the success
achieved through hard work and diligence but perhaps more importantly;
it represents comfort in terms of stability in one's housing situation. With
this being said, much of the responsibility falls on people's ability to forge
towards financial independence if they wish to command more control in
their housing situations and achieve part of the 'American Dream'.
"The American dream is a symbol of security, freedom, and
self-sufficiency The home as a 'symbol of self is prominent in
a society that still glorifies its rugged individualists whose
survival was dependent on their ability to house and provide for
themselves"13
Home ownership remains a long-term personal objective. But many
newcomers' housing concerns are constrained by affordability which
often compromises the suitability and adequacy of their initial housing
arrangement. The term adequacy is used to refer to housing which does
not requiring major repairs while suitability refers to having enough
12 Richard Harris and Chris Hamnett "The Myth of the Promised Land The Social Diffusion of Home Ownership in Britain and North America " Annals of the Association of American Geographers. Vol 77, No 2 (Jun , 1987) 174 13 John Gilderbloom, et al Invisible City: Poverty, Housing, and New Urbanism (Austin University of Texas Press, 2008), p 13
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bedrooms for the size and make-up of resident households. Affordability
constitutes costing less than 30% of before-tax household incomes.14
The reason this is important is because unaffordable housing
arrangements affect other expenses needed to maintain a decent quality
of life.
Housing is understandably only part of a complex set of factors that
contribute to the integration of any newcomer. Proper language skills,
labour force success, absence of discrimination, access to adequate
information and support, neighbourhood characteristics are only part of
array of issue which must be addressed. Non-profit organizations such as
OCISO (Ottawa Community Immigration Services Organization) assist
newcomers by offering a number of programs such as language training,
job search assistance, and community programs. As important as these
aspects are to resettlement, access to adequate, affordable and suitable
housing helps establish the stable basis for a livelihood which can allow
people to deal more easily with other challenges.
Housing is a central component of the resettlement experience. A
positive housing situation can facilitate many aspects of integration
whereas unaffordable, crowded, and unsafe housing causes disruptions.
Although their precarious financial situation limits their housing options,
there is a general lack of affordable alternatives that can foster a positive
housing situation. A positive housing situation can help create more
viable citizens who want to engage their community because they feel a
greater sense of acceptance and inclusion.
Overtime, issues of socio-economics change, such as funding
mechanisms, subsidy programmes and political systems, which dedicate
resources to affordable housing. Beyond the immense discussion of the
socio-economic reasons for the lack of affordable housing, the question
14 Sarah Wayland. The Housing Needs of Immigrants and Refugees in Canada, p.11.
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remains: Is resettlement simply a matter of housing supply with no
design or urban planning implications to consider?
Planning strategies are important as they can help strategically position
sponsored refugees in contexts where they have better access to
economic opportunities and public transportation which creates a sense
of inclusion. It is not uncommon for those to search for better living
circumstances and move multiple times which is not conducive with
integration. Furthermore, the argument has been made that:
"Although home is the central hub of people's lives, the
neighbourhood is a geographical extension of home, reaching
into the public sphere Neighbourhood is a place that offers
regular opportunities to interact with others Newcomers'
perceptions of their neighbourhoods, and their neighbours,
influence their sense of belonging and the extent to which they
feel settled"15
This also contributes to a sense of security. In a study done in Winnipeg
on the housing conditions of recent refugees, many express their desire
to: live in areas with big parks, green space, and a nice atmosphere
which was family-oriented, and where "kids do not have as much
exposure to bad influences." Many expressed that a feeling of security
was created by having a safe daycare on the premise; being close to a
school; being close to an area that is busy, well-lit, and clean; or simply
having a yard that is fenced.16 Resettlement in an unsafe environment
could foster reluctance in engaging with communities.
As humble as affordable housing should be, it requires an architect to
design in order to provide dignity and proper space to carry out daily
rituals. Design essentially plays a significant role in all housing and is
crucial to people's wellbeing. The design of housing gives shape to the
15 Sarah Wayland The Housing Needs of Immigrants and Refugees in Canada p 120 16 Tom Carter The Housing Circumstances of Recently Arrived Refugees: The Winnipeg Experience (July 2008), p 101
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built environment, which fosters the interaction of people and instills a
sense of community pride and dignity for which all people long.
The consensus by those who have followed the housing trajectories of
'sponsored refugees' is that there is a need to stimulate supply of
affordable housing alternatives in order to help address the needs of
larger household demographics.
In the discussion of affordable housing there is often a misconception
that, because it is deemed 'affordable', it merits doing the absolute
minimum and should not be subjected to the same considerations as any
market-rate developments. This patronizing mentality has damaged and
stigmatized this segment of housing and the residents who inhabit these
homes. Such an approach can be detrimental to residents' ability to
adapt to changing circumstances.
The following sections of this chapter present a general discussion on
affordable housing and how it affects the resettlement process. The
subsequent section discusses the appropriateness of current affordable
housing conditions, moving on to discuss the dependence on social
housing to help address the gap between the resettlement policy and
housing, and finally the growing interest in co-operative communities as a
potential alternative. Each option is discussed in order to elaborate on
the current predicament which many struggling families face. Case
studies are presented to elaborate on the potential form, scale and
management model affordable housing developments could potentially
take on in order to help better facilitate the resettlement process.
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2.1 The Need for Affordable Housing
Presently, many sponsored refugees are entering cities in which there
are severe shortages of affordable housing to recognize their needs.
'Affordable housing' is built on land that has little or no cost. It is then sold
or rented at cost or marginally above cost to those in low to moderate
income earning brackets. The current market provides little reward for
developers to build affordable housing. There is more interest in
constructing condominiums as they are sold to higher income earning
brackets to generate a greater profit.
It is not uncommon for financially vulnerable New Canadians to be
directed towards renting in high-rise apartment complexes given that they
are the most prevalent form of affordable housing stock having been
primarily established during the post war period. The 'segregation' of
those in of the lowest socio-economic bracket within deteriorating high-
density buildings in the private market is a continuing phenomenon and is
symptomatic of the exploitation of people caught in a vicious cycle of
poverty. In 'gateway cities' such as Toronto, the immigrant population
has been noticeably concentrated in poorly maintained high-rises that are
ill-equipped to foster a sense of community and which have become
'vertical ghettos'; further stigmatizing those that reside in them.
"Housing inequality and segregation limit educational and
employment opportunities for low-income and minority families
especially as they force the families to pay more of their
incomes for declining services "
High-rise structures, such as the minimalist tower block, have not been
particularly well received by families with children compared to
traditionally smaller houses. Attempts to recreate the traditional virtues of
having secure outdoor space have been made in the form of deck access
17John Gilderbloom Invisible City: Poverty, Housing, and New Urbanism (Austin University of Texas Press, 2008), p 15
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models and 'streets in the sky' but have often attracted unwanted
delinquent behavior.18 This should not be taken to suggest an entirely
adverse stance to high-rise structures as they are fairly well suited for
smaller households. The issue is that many immigrants, including
sponsored refugees, come in large households with young children. The
desire for family oriented environments is understandable. High-rise
rental housing is tailored for shorter tenancy, however sponsored refugee
families rely on housing as an anchor to make community connections
and have access to local amenities such as schools, community
infrastructure, and social support which can make such arrangements ill-
suited. Older rental accommodations are often in poor condition and
newer stock is beyond the price range of many sponsored refugee
families.
With this being considered, there has been more emphasis put towards
creating affordable housing which foster more inclusive family oriented
communities. The mixed-income development approach is drawing the
increased attention of academics, policy makers and practitioners
interested in developing affordable housing. Mixed-income
neighbourhoods address three primary motivations: alleviating
concentrations of poverty (supposedly to reduce the incident of social ills);
producing high-quality developments, and meeting the shortage of
affordable units. This also noticeably coincides with the emergence of
'New Urbanism' which has been described as an alternative to the
Modernist design theories that under laid much of the post World War II
affordable housing stock.
18 Graham Towers. An Introduction to Urban Housing Design: at Home in the City (Oxford: Architectural, 2005), 89. 19 Alastair Smith Mixed-Income Housing: Promise and Reality 3
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"Within neighborhoods, a broad range of housing types and
price levels can bring people of diverse ages races and
incomes into daily interaction, strengthening the personal and
CIVIC bonds essential to an authentic community "
Charter for the New Urbanism, Principle XIII Congress for the New Urbanism 2000 20
In New Urbanism, affordable housing is seen within the context of
neighborhood design, where pedestrianism, the provision of public space,
and walkable access to services are an essential part of affordability The
opportunity for residents to carry out daily activities, such as shopping or
going to school, without needing a car may make life more affordable for
low-income families because these amenities are more easily
accessible21
Whereas the approach to affordable development is promoted as being
more beneficial for low-income families, the scale of such developments
creates complexities which may become too contrived to address the
overwhelming demand for more affordable housing. Many New Urbanist
developments can command higher prices which often tailor such
development towards upper middle class households. In the absence of
inclusionary zoning bylaws or attractive subsidies and non-profit
involvement, the mixed-income approach has many hurdles to overcome.
20 Jennifer Johnson and Emily Talen Affordable Housing in New Urbanist Communities: A Survey of Developers Housing Policy Debate, Volume 19 Issue 4 (Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech 2008), p 583
21 Jennifer Johnson and Emily Talen Affordable Housing in New Urbanist Communities: A Survey of Developers Housing Policy Debate, Volume 19 Issue 4 (Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech 2008), p 585
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"Mixed-income housing is not a silver bullet to overcoming the
difficult challenges faced by families seeking to escape from
poverty or the realities of housing markets Because mixed-
income developments are complex, present unique risks, and
often house fewer needy families than other types of
development, mixed-income approaches must carefully
consider the local housing market, the population to be served,
financing options, the scale of the project, and the community 22
context
Because of the often immense scale of mixed-income neighbourhood
developments it is more appropriate to focus on moderately scaled
housing developments that compliment existing urban neighbourhoods.
Sponsored refugee's housing options are often constrained by
affordability issues. Given the drive to increase population and labour
force growth in Canada through immigration, the reasonable course of
action would be to help address the need for housing which reflects the
needs of larger immigrant family households which is not reflected in
existing affordable housing stocks. Although it is increasingly apparent
that market forces will not supply adequate, affordable rental housing,
especially in Canada's largest cities that receive the vast majority of
sponsored refugees, attention is being drawn to social housing to reflect
the policies.
22 Alastair Smith Mixed-Income Housing: Promise and Reality p 3 20
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2.2 A Reliance on Social Housing
Affordable housing is more commonly associated with social housing,
which requires ongoing government subsidy. Social housing is a term
used by many Europeans synonymous with 'public housing' meant for
those who cannot afford the fair-market price. The implication of using
the term social housing suggests that 'a responsible and humane society
has an obligation to assist those of its members who could not otherwise
procure decent housing.23
In Ottawa there are over 10,000 households on a waitlist for social
housing that equates to a five to seven year waiting period for
households. Because the current housing market is tailored towards a
higher income earning bracket, there is a continued dependence on
social housing to help meet the needs of those trying to re-establish a
livelihood.
Figure 2: Modernist postulates mirrored in early social housing (Le Corbusier's 1925 Plan Voisin for Paris juxtaposed to the composition of American social housing project Pruitt-lgoe 1955 in St. Louis)24
A brief look at the evolution of social housing forms in America can help
illustrate many lessons learned in housing financially vulnerable
populations. There is somewhat of a stigma associated with high-density
structures, such as the tower block or apartment complex, which can be
23 Sam Davis. The Architecture of Affordable Housing. (Berkeley: University of California, 1995), p.l. 24 From Despair to Hope: Hope VI and the New Promise of Public Housing in America's Cities. (Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2009) p.50.
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attributed to its pervasive use as a response to early approaches to slum
clearance and social housing in America. High-rises were believed to be
the most cost effective and efficient method of addressing housing
strategy and in particular shortages of affordable housing. The high-rise
form was facilitated by building innovations of the industrialized age.
However, these structures were often constructed in secluded settings
with few desirable amenities to address affordability and with the
expectation that the length of stay would be short. Many eventually
became icons of the segregation of the poor and alienated them from the
rest of society.
Canada's federal government took similar strategies to public housing as
their American counterparts coinciding with major urban renewal
schemes of the 1950s and 1960s. While these projects alleviated
housing pressures, they also created "Ghetto" conditions through the
concentration of homogenously low-income populations in high-density
neighbourhoods.
Literature produced during the 1960 and 70s brought about a paradigm
shift in American social housing. Jane Jacob's Death and Life of Great
American Cities (1961) stressed an "eyes on the street" mentality in
housing design. High-rises were seen as antisocial and anti-urban
because they turned away from city streets making them inappropriate.
Adding to this was Oscar Newman's book Defensible Space: Crime
Prevention through Urban Design (1972) that identified a relationship
between building form and the pathologies around housing projects. His
criticism of the inappropriateness of high-rise housing for poor families
was supported by his research on the dire conditions of many such
projects. Since the 1970s, the favored form for social housing projects
has been the low-rise developments. Courtyards housing, townhouses,
and garden apartments with as many as fifty units an acre, are
considered the dominant type.25 This change in form recognizes the
25 Sam Davis The Architecture of Affordable Housing (Berkeley University of California, 1995), p 17
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need for new development to be more compatible with existing
neighbourhoods.
The expansion of non-profit social housing across Canada was originally
spurred on by the visible re-emergence of the homeless. Instead of
government's direct involvement, public funds and charitable donations
have been increasingly channeled towards non-governmental
organizations.26 Currently, Canadian cities have a number of non-profit
housing authorities that are responsible for maintaining a portfolio of
public housing across cities. Funding for new development has not been
available in any significant amount for sometime. The question is that if
funding were to be provided, what form of development would be better
suited to deal with the influx of larger immigrant family households?
Figure 3: HOPE VI Example (Broadway Homes public housing redesigned by Urban Design Associates to become Broadway Overlook community) illustrating New Urbanist principles 27
The emphasis on income diversity and New Urbanist design principles
have more recently been used as part of a nation wide strategy in the
25 Benjamin Insitt Housing for All: The Social Economy and Homelessness in British Columbia's Capital Region. Occasional Paper Series, No 06 (Oct, 2008), p 27 27 From Despair to Hope: Hope VI and the New Promise of Public Housing in America's Cities. (Washington Brookings Institution Press, 2009), p 57
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United States under the federal program HOPE VI. HOPE VI is
promoted as an innovative approach to what has been viewed as the
predictable and uncreative stance government has taken towards social
housing in the past.28 In Canada, a clear example of a mixed
demographic approach to housing is reflected in the 15 year
redevelopment of Toronto's Regent Park.
Figure 4: Urban Renewal Scheme of Regent Park (1954)29
In 1949 tenants moved into what was Canada's first experiment in public
housing. Originally produced in phases, Regent Park North began
construction in 1947 and was complete by 1954. Designed by J.E. Hoare,
the superblock development followed other North American public
housing projects of that era. The composition of the neighbourhood was
a series of 3-6 story apartments with townhouses in a park-like setting.
In 1950, Regent Park South was developed as a series of mixed-
townhouses and five fourteen-storey towers. Designed by Peter
no
Kurt Schmoke. From Despair to Hope: Hope VI and the New Promise of Public Housing in America's Cities. (Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2009), p.vii
29 "A Clean Slate?" The Canadian Architect. August 2005. p.46. 24
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Dickinson, with Page and Steele Architects, the towers won a Massey
Medal for architecture. Among the notable design elements was the
skip-stop system creating units with cross ventilation. However, these
high-rises were not ideal for tenants with children and maintenance of the
buildings was difficult. Furthermore, layout of entire neighborhood was
criticized for its ambiguity of who has control of open space and self-
contained nature of the development led to a clash of perceptions.
The deterioration of the Regent Park was attributed to housing authority
policies that eliminated the income diversity that originally existed in
priority of those most in need. With the absence of federal policy and
withdrawal of provincial support, proposals for the redevelopment of on
Regent Park have relied on private sector partnerships.
30 "Regent Park at 50," The Canadian Architect; Aug, 1999. 25
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IHn
K | townhouses 8-slorey buildings ^ | existing buildings
• I 4-storey buildings » ipsidcilul lowers I S Er t t Cenire*'
6-store; buildings H R 2-swrey building bases
Figure 5: Regent Park Redevelopment Plan (2005)31
The redevelopment of Regent Park reflects core New Urbanist principles
such as: an attempt to introduce more diverse housing types in order to
attract a range of households of different incomes; reinforcing a sense of
security by introducing more human scale buildings that are street and
pedestrian oriented; and promoting a continuity in the street network to
reconnect with adjacent neighbourhoods and the city.
The mixed approach (mixed-use, mixed-tenancy, mixed-income, mixed-
type) to neighbourhood development promoted by New Urbanists has
been dismissed by some as artificial "instant urbanism". This is despite it
31 John Mays. " A Clean Slate?" The Canadian Architect. August 2005, p.46. 26
* Public open 8 green spaces 4P Private 8 semi-privale
open 8 green spaces
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enjoying reasonable mainstream success and being adopted as part of
HOPE VI public housing revitalization, which is aimed at dismantling on
distressed post-war public housing developments.
Because social housing continues to be heavily relied on by immigrant
groups, it can be beneficial to examine models of social housing which
anticipates the desires of inhabitants better. One charitable social
housing organization that consistently emphasizes the importance of
architectural design is the Peabody Trust in London England. Peabody
Trust is London's oldest and largest charitable housing foundation,
founded in 1862 by philanthropist George Peabody. It currently provides
homes for nearly 50,000 people within the capital. The foundation was
established with a mission to "provide disadvantaged people with the
opportunities they need to live a good life by ensuring as many people as
possible have a good home, a real sense of purpose and a strong feeling
of belonging."33 Part of this mission is achieved by creating 'quality
affordable housing' by working with leading architects. Peabody has
distinguished itself by its open-mindedness to architectural innovation,
which it believes helps garner the Trust a reputation for providing
distinctive homes recognizable as being consciously designed and
reliable in space standards.
Coopers Street Regeneration in London is a Peabody Trust project which
represents many of the design issues which social housing developments
aspire to address. Coopers Road was originally a failing estate which
was constructed in the 1960s as a series of high-rise deck access blocks.
The high-rise deck-access blocks lent themselves to antisocial behaviour
and the open space between buildings was poorly used and lacked
surveillance. In 1999, in consultation with the residents, Southwark
Housing made the radical decision to demolish the estate and re-develop
it in partnership with Peabody Trust.
32 Douglas Farr. Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design with Nature. (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2008), p.32. 33 Peabody Trust <peabody.org.uk>
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Figure 6: Site Composition of Coopers Street (before and after redevelopment) 34
ECD Architects were appointed in 2000 to engage in a process of
consultation and prepare a master plan that would address the key urban
design issues of scale, identity, security, ownership of public space and
the relationship with the surrounding area. The new housing
development was designed around four courtyards which encourage a
sense of community and identity while creating a clear hierarchy of
private, semi-private and public spaces.
34 "Coopers Road Estate Regeneration " Ritchie, Adam, and Randall Thomas Sustainable Urban Design: an Environmental Approach (London Taylor & Francis, 2009), p 97-98
28
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Figure 7 Coopers Street Regeneration Conceptual drawing of building arrangement35
Figure 8" Coopers Street Regeneration - Photograph of courtyard garden 36
35 Coopers Road Estate Regeneration Ritchie, Adam and Randall Thomas Sustainable Urban Design: an Environmental Approach (London Taylor & Francis 2009) p 104
29
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Coopers Street Regeneration demonstrates how moderately sized
housing projects can be designed to better suit the needs of the
community they serve. The mixture of housing types (townhouses,
maisonettes, and mid-rise deck access flats) recognizes the varying
housing tenures and household situations among residents. Courtyard
gardens equipped with play structures and subtle landscaping elements
provide a welcomed refuge from the city and space for children to play.
Social housing has become common to address immigrant's housing
needs in Canada. Sponsored refugees who rent from social housing are
usually are more satisfied with their housing arrangement than those who
rent in the private market because they have fewer suitability problems.
They are more satisfied with the management, the safety of their home,
the floor plan/design and the condition. However, they are usually less
positive about their neighbourhoods having concerns about safety and
security because social housing is also the recipients of the hardest-to-
house.37
Settlement houses run by non-profits can help address some initial needs,
the true success and motivation of such housing is the progression from
this form of transitional housing into more integrated housing conditions.
The next section explores the notion of co-operatives as an alternative to
help sponsored refugees integrate. Co-operatives providing housing
which offers regular opportunities to interact and can create a stronger
sense of inclusiveness and engagement.
36 "Coopers Road Estate Regeneration " Ritchie, Adam, and Randall Thomas Sustainable Urban Design: an Environmental Approach (London Taylor & Francis, 2009), p 100
37 Tom Carter The Housing Circumstances of Recently Arrived Refugees: The Winnipeg Experience (July 2008), p iv
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2.3 Co-operative Communities as an Alternative
An alternative model of affordable housing that might be particularly
appropriate for sponsored refugee groups is co-operative housing. Co
operatives can be a form of non-profit housing which can provide the
foundation for fostering community engagement that can create a much
needed sense of empowerment for newcomers. This can be achieved
because co-operatives are democratic communities where the residents
make decisions on how the co-op operates. This arrangement requires a
degree of self-management which limits this option to those with the
ability to contribute to the community. Many of the co-operatives which
exist today serve families with children to a much greater extent than
rental and condominium housing. Half of the households in regular co
operatives and two-thirds of the households in the family targeted co
operatives are one or two parent families with children.38
Residents often volunteer with the maintenance and community-based
projects that occur within the community. Housing co-operatives can
range from collections of single unit townhouses and small buildings with
4-12 units to large apartment-style buildings with hundreds of units. Co
operatives can be new developments or even existing developments. All
that is required is for organizations to apply to the government for co
operative status for a particular project. In exchange for agreeing to not-
for-profit status and to accommodating a certain percentage of affordable
units, the project receives subsidies from the government.
Co-operative housing once experienced an impressive expansion in
Canada despite being renounced by the Canadian Housing and
Mortgage Company as disruptive to the single-family home which was
believed to be the pillar of social stability. But co-operative housing
flourished in comparison to its public housing counterparts discredited by
grandiose urban renewal schemes like Regent Park. This is not to say
38 CHMC. Co-operative Housing Programs Evaluation. (September 2003), p.8.
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that co-operatives did not have their share of upsets, but they have
managed to stand out because they strive to meet both "a social
objective and an objective to providing security of tenure as an alternative
to home ownership".
Co-operative housing addresses the quality of building maintenance by
sharing duties among residents. More importantly, a co-operative's
management structure helps by controlling anti-social behaviour which
also contributes to the likelihood that the integrity of the development will
be sustained. Sometimes for that reason alone, co-op management is
employed to maintain and upkeep high-quality developments after they
are completed.40
One notable co-operative housing development is Iroko Coin Street
Housing (2002) in London, England. Iroko serves as both a model of
urban regeneration and, more importantly, demonstrates an alternative
form which high-density social housing can take. Iroko represents one
stage in the development of a group of sites totaling approximately 35
hectares on the South Bank of the River Thames in London.
39 Benjamin Insitt Housing for All: The Social Economy and Homelessness in British Columbia's Capital Region Occasional Paper Series, No 06 (Oct, 2008), 40 40 Graham Towers An Introduction to Urban Housing Design: at Home in the City (Oxford Architectural, 2005), 179-180
32
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Figure 9: Map - Site of Iroko Coin Street Housing highlighted in yellow 41
The original site had become run down and in 1984, under more radical
administration, the Greater London Council transferred ownership of the
site to Coin Street Community Builders, a non-profit organization. The
site of Iroko was originally a car park, which was redeveloped into an
underground parking lot so it could accommodate the four to five storey
housing structures above which total 59 dwellings and includes 32 family
houses which can each accommodate up to six people. The balance of
accommodation is made up of a mix of flats and maisonettes. All are for
rent and managed by a housing co-op formed by the residents.
41 "Coin Street Housing The Architecture of Engagement" Sustainable Urban Design Ritchie, Adam, and Randall Thomas Sustainable Urban Design an Environmental Approach (London Taylor & Francis, 2009), p 120
33
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i f f
I f l 'C
Figure 10: Iroko Coin Street Housing- Photograph of interior courtyard 42
The housing is designed around a communal garden shared by
occupants and becomes the focus for shared ownership and interaction.
It provides a tranquil communal area sheltered from the noise of the
street and designed for a range of activities. Pathways, large planting
beds and profiled concrete walls divide the space into four main areas: a
large sloping lawn area, a seating terrace, a toddlers' play area with play
equipment, and a sunken ball game area.
42 "Coin Street Housing The Architecture of Engagement" Sustainable Urban Design Ritchie, Adam, and Randall Thomas Sustainable Urban Design an Environmental Approach (London Taylor & Francis, 2009), p l 2 3
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Figure 11: Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre (view from courtyard to exterior fagade)43
With the completion of the Iroko project the need for community
amenities became evident and the Coin Street Neighbourhood center
was built to serve the influx of people into the area. The building houses
an unusually wide mix of functions including space rented on a
commercial basis such to a cafe and restaurant. Many have questioned
why a non-profit would entertain commercial activities such as a high end
restaurant and provide underground commuter parking. The answer is
purely pragmatic where the money made from the commercial parts of
the development is used to subsidize the high cost of building affordable
housing in the inner city and rent it out at affordable rates.44
The Coin Street case study illustrates the idea of a socially conscious
development that can help enrich the urban fabric by brining with it new
amenities and people to reinvigorate the area. The design of the
development helps reinforce this idea by creating spaces which fosters
43 "Coin Street Housing: The Architecture of Engagement." Sustainable Urban Design. Ritchie, Adam, and Randall Thomas. Sustainable Urban Design: an Environmental Approach. (London: Taylor & Francis, 2009), p.125-126. 44 Haworth, Graham. "Coin Street Housing: The Architecture of Engagement." Sustainable Urban Design Ritchie, Adam, and Randall Thomas. Sustainable Urban Design: an Environmental Approach. (London: Taylor & Francis, 2009), p. 130.
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social interaction and engagement. It also creates a distinct sense of
identity for the inhabitants which they can take pride in and appreciate.
Co-operatives serve as an interesting model of affordable housing
management because they can potentially bring together those with a
shared interest to create more inclusive communities. This can help ease
the integration process by fostering more community engagement and
empowerment. The form that these developments can potentially take
on can also reflect this desire for social interaction by anticipating a need
for community space.
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3.0 Rethinking Prefabrication for Affordable Housing
"The prefabricated house has been, and continues to be not
only a reflection on the house as a rephcable object of design
but also a critical agent in the discourse of sustainabihty
affordabihty and design innovation "
Glenn D Lowry 45
Director of the Museum of Modern Art
Many contemporary design practitioners today see prefabrication as
having a great deal of potential in creating affordable housing, as the
method can potentially be both economical and ecological. This chapter
explores the perceptions and possibilities of prefabrication techniques in
developing affordable housing and has helped guide the design portion of
this thesis.
There is always an underlying fear and suspicion that in using any form
of industrialized production, individuality, craft, and specificity to local
sites and cultural conditions will be sacrificed to drive efficiency and
maximize profits.46 However, to dismiss prefabrication techniques as a
superficial design style would be short sighted.
Prefabrication entails that components are created in controlled factory
conditions and are transported in reasonable components to be
assembled on site. The benefits of this method are translated into higher
quality standards as modular components are required to be durable
enough to undergo transportation. Where prefabrication techniques have
been proposed as a more cost effective approach to building, the reality
45 Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling (New York Museum of Modern Art, 2008), p 7 46 Mark and Peter Anderson Prefab Prototypes: Site-specific Design for Offsite Construction (New York Princeton Architectural, 2007), p 12
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is that they are rarely in sufficient quantities to realize significant
economies of scale. This however served as part of the reason why
designers saw a practical use for such methods in housing which
became a matter of urgency during the post world war period.
One form of housing which is notoriously associated with prefabrication is
the American mobile home. The mobile home is recognized as being the
most successful example of a factory-built building in the world,
reaffirmed by its multi-million dollar sale figures more than by any
fondness for the building type by design practitioners as a genuine form
of housing.47 The acceptance of mobile homes as an avenue of
affordable housing has led to an entire subculture of society which is
often characterized with uncivil behaviour. This has contributed to the
stigmatization of the most adopted form of affordable housing in America.
It is not surprising that the mobile home was demonized with its inception
in the 1930s which brought about a threat which destabilized what people
believed was the only acceptable approach to building, the stick built
home. In this light, the mobile homes industry has made attempts to
bridge this gap by developing housing that reflects the market vision of
the ideal home rooted in place with a vernacular appearance. Becoming
more of a permanent site installed residence and more accurately
reflected as manufactured homes.48
47 Robert Kronenburg Houses in Motion: the Genesis, History, and Development of the Portable Building (London Academy Editions, 1995), p79 48 Roberta Fledman "Out of the Box Design Innovations in Manufactured Housing" Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism (New York Metropolis, 2008), p 209
38
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Figure 12: Murray Grove Housing (1999) construction and completion 49
There remains a strong interest in prefabrication techniques seen in more
conventional housing projects. Murray Grove Housing (1999) in London
designed by Cartwright Pickard Architects for the Peabody Trust
demonstrates a renewed interest in the use of prefabrication to create
affordable housing. The designers collaborated with a subsidiary of
Portakabin UK to build a prototype housing system which utilizing
modules for each flat, stair tower, and lift. By doing this, the construction
time of the development was significantly reduced, durable and sound
housing was created, and the potential remains for even a building of this
size and scale to be dismantled and reconstituted elsewhere.
49 Cartwright Pickard Architects <cartwnghtpickard com/project/live/murray-grove>
39
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Figure 13 Cite A Docks50
Another practice of building which has grown with popularity is the
recycling of old cargo containers for use in building. Cite A Docks
located in Le Havre, France and designed by Cattani Architects
demonstrates the elegant simplicity of recycling prefabricated shipping
containers for compact student housing. Cite A presents the potential for
prefabricated dwellings to evolve and adapt at any time because the
building elements can be easily dismantled and reassembled. This ability
for buildings to adapt to changing circumstances can become part of a
process which can recognize a number of housing scenarios overtime.
50 The Contemponst < http //www contemponst com/2010/09/30/cite-a-docks-student-housing-by-cattani-architects/> Posted Sept 30, 2010
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Although the ability for a building to adapt may seem unorthodox, it does
allow greater potential to respond to urgent housing needs. Given that
the site of affordable housing ideally should be integrated within existing
neighbourhoods, prefabricated dwellings can be introduced with the
provision of a framework which allows for buildings to be furthered added
on to temporarily and then potentially serve a long-term purpose of
establishing new communities elsewhere. This strategy is explored in the
following section.
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3.1 Adaptable Building Strategies
Prefabricated dwellings can become part of an adaptable building
strategy that merges housing with existing buildings. This can be
achieved by creating infrastructure which accommodates prefabricated
dwellings in unconventional ways. The infrastructure can provide
prefabricated dwellings with access to utilities while allowing for them to
potentially be removed, altered, upgraded or replaced in order to meet
the changing need for housing. This approach has been explored by
many designers as the following examples would suggest.
Figure 14: Unite d'Habitation in Marseilles and Le Corbusier's bottle rack concept51
Le Corbusier's bottle rack concept was the inspiration for his Unite
d'Habitation in Marseilles and serves as one of the earliest examples of
the plug-in principle. The building's skeleton was envisioned as a rack
where autonomous units could be inserted and removed with ease. It
was the inspiration for numerous megastructures proposed in the
following decades.
51 Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling (New York Museum of Modern Art, 2008), p 98 Tatjana Schneider and Jeremy Till Flexible Housing (Oxford, UK Architectural, 2007) p 168
42
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Figure 15: Archigram's proposal for 'Plug-in City'52
This idea was further explored by design collectives such as England's
Archigram. The group explored the potential for architecture to function
as an organism that adapted to the needs and desires of its inhabitants.
They became fascinated with the notion of architecture as a type of
scaffolding that could house ephemeral vessels. Their proposals were
decidedly unrealistic and Utopian and therefore never fully realized.
Figure 16: Nakagin Capsule Tower construction, capsule detail53
52 Home Delivery Fabricating the Modern Dwelling. (New York: Museum of Modern Art, 2008), p. 123
43
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These ideas coincide with the design work of the Japanese
Metabolonists of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Metabolonists
embraced prefabrications as a means to manufacture elements that
could be organically inserted and replaced within various superstructures.
The Nakagin Capsule Tower designed by Kisho Kurokawa remains the
Metabolonist's most emblematic built work and clearly demonstrates a
'plug in' approach. The 'capsules' are equipped with built in furnishings,
a concept which is valuable when considering the housing situations of
New Canadians starting off with few resources.
Figure 17: Habitat'67 54
The work of the Japanese Metabolonists inspired Habitat '67 by architect
Moshe Safdie. Today, the project remains one of the most familiar
landmarks of Montreal and originally served as middle income housing
for the growing city. Principally, Safdie envisioned Habitat as individual
houses placed in a framework. In built form, the framework became
redundant and the units were instead stacked. The result is a
mesmerizing image which alludes to a hillside town with open terraces.
More importantly, for those who saw housing as a humanitarian
53 Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling. (New York: Museum of Modern Art, 2008), p. 145-146 54 The Architecture of Affordable Housing. (Berkeley: University of California, 1995), p31-32.
44
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undertaking, Habitat combined social and technical imperatives to
generate significant architecture.55
Prefabricated building methods also lend themselves to rooftop
structures. Part of this is due to practical reasons such as minimizing
impact during the assembly process on site. More fundamentally, the
rooftop serves as a plinth which can be flexible enough to accommodate
a range of housing forms and arrangements. Rooftop structures are a
continually occurring phenomenon as seen in the building of squatter
settlements by migrant populations in order to be close to economic
activity. But formal rooftop houses in most western cultures take the form
of penthouses which are considered exclusive and desirable. In between
these two extremes, there can be interesting developments which occur.
Figure 18: Leonard Avenue Rooftop Apartments: Rendering of exterior and courtyard concept56
Prefabricated rooftop buildings have recently been garnering attention as
a reasonable approach to urban intensification. One example is Leonard
Avenue Pre-fab Rooftop Apartments in Toronto designed by Levitt
Goodman Architects Limited. This project was commissioned by
St.Claire Multifaith Housing which is a private, non-profit organization that
has a social goal of providing safe, affordable housing in order to help the
homeless stabilize their lives, find work and participate in the community.
55 Sam Davis. The Architecture of Affordable Housing. (Berkeley University of California, 1995), p 30. 56 Levitt Goodman Architects Limited <levittgoodmanarchitects.com>
45
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Although this particular example reflects the more common practice of
'topping up' buildings, the potential for rooftop buildings as an
amalgamation of different programs can introduce diversity by
overlapping functions on one site.
Figure 19: Loft Cube, designed by Werner Aisslinger, a contemporary example of a manufactured/mobile home 57
Rooftop buildings represents an opportunity to help integrate affordable
housing into developed urban areas granting greater access to the city
amenities and programs which many sponsored refugees can benefit
from. This can also help compliment an approach to diversifying existing
neighbourhoods in a less obtrusive way. These are some of the
principles which are explored in developing a project of architecture that
can help provide housing to integrate sponsored refugees into urban
areas by imagining a more adaptable approach to urban infill.
57 Rooftop Architecture: Building on an Elevated Surface (Rotterdam NAi, 2005), p 80
46
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4.0 Architecture for Adapting Communities
"In between the extremes of segregation and assimilation were
diverse adaptive, syncretic, and hybridized modes of
architectural reterritonalization"
Stephen Caines
Residual Scripts58
Canada welcomes those who can help build on the prosperity which the
nation enjoys. This being the case, the government could better
anticipate the influx of newcomers by ensuring that there are suitable
accommodations that recognize a need for housing in more integrated
communities. This would allow them to have better access to resources
and opportunities that can help foster progressive housing situations
overtime.
My family's experience has informed my thesis and a project proposal.
One aspect of their integration into Canadian society was becoming part
of a co-operative housing community. I believe community housing can
greater assist in the adaptation of newcomers to Canada. Co-operative
housing provided my family with affordable housing within a supportive
community environment and enabled them to work towards a level of
economic wellbeing to be able to move on and realize their aspirations to
fully integrate.
The housing strategy being explored in this thesis builds on the growing
interest in adapting commercial shopping centres for mixed-use. Within
the category of 'greyfields' are economically obsolescent malls that offer
large infill redevelopment opportunities without the contamination found
58 Stephen Caines Drifting: Architecture and Migrancy (London Routledge, 2004), p 2
47
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
on 'brownfields' that are former industrial sites.59 The term 'greyfield'
refers to the asphalt which covers the majority of these sites.
Underperforming retail spaces often become available for a relatively
inexpensive price which is an important aspect for non-profit groups,
cultural facilities, and local shops that cannot generally afford new
construction or extensive site work.60 It is also not unheard of for
obsolete malls to be converted into housing.
Figure 20: The phased redevelopment of East Gate Town Centre illustrated61
59 Lee Sobel, Ellen Greenberg, and Steven Bodzin Greyfields into Goldfields: Dead Malls Become Living Neighborhoods [San Francisco, Calif] Congress for the New Urbanism, 2002 p 20 60 Ellen Dunham-Jones and June Williamson Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs (Hoboken, NJ John Wiley & Sons, 2009), p 67 61 Greyfields into Goldfields: Dead Malls Become Living Neighborhoods [San Francisco, Calif] Congress for the New Urbanism, 2002 p70-71
48
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Redevelopment of obsolescent malls more commonly follow New
Urbanist principles to create mixed-use neighbourhoods. By bringing
together office, retail, housing, recreational, and civic space these once
largely vacant areas can be revitalized and serve a more significant
purpose. For instance, the East Gate Town Centre in Tennessee is an
example of a massive 40 acre greyfield site planned to undergo long-
term redevelopment in phases. East Gate Town Centre demonstrates a
common predicament where portions of retail developments are leased
as office space in the absence of a suitable commercial retail tenant.
The ability to phase in redevelopment plans is also used to honour any
remaining lease agreements as they are gradually phased out.
Figure 21: Photographs of the Paseo Calorado after redevelopment62
Paseo Calorado in Pasadena, California is an alternate example of how
redevelopment can occur for malls that are in dense urban areas. The
original 11 acre enclosed mall located in the downtown Pasadena
underwent a transformation in order to revitalize the centre that had
62 Greyfields into Go/df/e/ds: Dead Malls Become Living Neighborhoods [San Francisco, Calif] Congress for the New Urbanism, 2002 p 45,74-75
49
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
become increasingly vacant over the years. It's transformation into a
mixed-use centre was achieved by introducing apartments and office
space above the existing structure while the enclosed walkways of the
mall were removed in favour of an open air pedestrian path. This project
is distinct because, unlike many typical redevelopment plans for malls, it
avoided undergoing a complete teardown.
The potential to utilize the space above existing commercial centers for
housing, as reflected in the previous example, may significantly
contribute to housing supply.63 I have chosen to explore the approach as
part of a strategy to help integrate affordable housing in the city
Figure 22: Sectional Perspective of proposal for 'New Suburbanism' Lewis Tsurumaki Lewis Architects m
Building above large commercial retail centers has been considered in a
speculative proposal by Lewis Tsurumaki Lewis Architects who
63 Towers, Graham An Introduction to Urban Housing Design at Home in the City Oxford Architectural, 2005 p 156 64 Lewis, David et al Lewis Tsurumaki Lewis Opportunistic Architecture New York Princeton Architectural Press, 2008 p 103
50
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imaginatively explored this concept in their proposal for 'New
Suburbanism'. The big box store serves as a plinth which re-imagines
the relationship between suburban living and mixed-use development.
As unorthodox as this concept may seem at first, this strategy of
overlapping residential units above a shopping centre has occurred.
i
Figure 23: Row housing supposedly constructed above a mall in Jakarta, Indonesia 65
As suggested in the previous chapter, I also set out to explore designs
which use prefabrication techniques. The methodology, which I am
using, is perhaps best described by author John Habraken in his book
Supports: An Alternative to Mass Housing, who proposed a 'support
structure' that allows for dwelling which can be built, altered, and taken
down independently of others. The support structure is more or less
permanent while the dwellings are treated as 'infill' and are adaptable.66
This is the basic premise with which I have approached my project
proposal in order to explore these ideas.
65 Deconcrete <http://www.deconcrete.org/2010/02/22/optimal-roof-use/> Published February 22, 2010 66 Tatjana Schneider and Jeremy Till Flexible Housing. (Oxford, UK: Architectural, 2007), p 167.
51
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One other aspect to consider is the architectural presence which this
support system can add to a host structure. Rooftop dwellings have the
potential to become lost or hidden above large structures. The use of
scaffolding as both a support system for the housing and as an
architectural design element can provide commercial centres with a
much needed face lift. This can become an intriguing proposal for
developers looking to refurbish existing commercial retail structures.
Scaffolding and screens can become a second skin used to envelope
existing buildings. The use of a translucent safety screen may add
colour, pattern, and shape to the exterior. There is also the potential that
this skin can be adapted and manipulated overtime to continue to create
some visual interest.
Figure 24: Safety screens used in construction and renovations 67
67 Direct Industry <http://www.directindustry.com/prod/protecta-screen/safety-netting-26683-389449html>
52
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Figure 25: Hotel Crillon in Paris, France: example of scaffolding camouflage 68
Scaffolding and screen systems have been further developed as a way
to conceal construction or maintenance in more clever ways. One
example is the Hotel Crillon in Paris, France where a printed image of
the original structure being refurbished was used as an attempt to
maintain the visual character of the existing building. This strategy can
also be used to provide a preview and give an early impression of
buildings being erected.
68 Photograph of Hotel Crillon during renovation author unknown 53
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Figure 26: Pompidou Centre 69
In some cases, the aesthetics of scaffolding and screens are dominant
elements of a building's character. This is demonstrated visually in large
projects such as the Pompidou Centre in Paris, France designed by
Renzo Paino, Richard Rogers and Sue Rogers. The exterior scaffolding
of the museum serves as a significant circulation element which guides
the flow of visitors while giving the building a unique character and
presence.
69 Photograph of Pompidou Centre Author Unknown 54
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
•*#&w
Figure 27 Exterior facade of The New York Times office in New York City70
Another of Renzo Paino's designs, the office tower of the New York
Times, demonstrates the elegant use of a screening element to provide
simple and clear signage. This can be an interesting approach for
commercial developments to adopt in order to refine exterior signage.
All these precedents, to some degree, serve as inspiration for the project
proposal presented in the following section.
70
Photograph of New York Times Building <http//www erco com/projects/bureau/new_york_ti_3639/en/en_new_yor k_tijntro_l php>
55
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4.1 Site Strategy: Adaptation of the Marginalized Greyfield
Figure 28: Arial Map of Heron Gate Mall71
The site chosen to test and explore these ideas is Heron Gate Mall
located in South-East Ottawa. The mall rests on a 15 acre site, west of
the intersection of Heron and Walkley Road. The property is surrounded
by low-density residential to the north, medium-density residential uses
and a park to the west, medium-density residential and commercial uses
to the south, and commercial usages to the east.
Built in 1981, the mall has seen its tenancy gradually dwindle after losing
one of two major anchor stores tenants. Its struggle to maintain an allure
11 Figures presented from this point onwards were developed by the author 56
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
has been attributed to its inability to compete with even larger big box
developments.
Figure 29" Exterior image/impression of Heron Gate Mall
The current owners of the property purchased the mall years ago with the
intention of tearing it down and replacing it with even larger box stores. In
order to facilitate this expansion, the property owners also purchased a
number of rental apartments adjacent to the property with plans of tearing
them down for the space. However, plans for the redevelopment of the
mall were never realized leaving it in somewhat of a state of limbo.
There is a high level of vacancy and little way of attracting serious chain
stores tenants to rent partly because the mall is in need of serious repairs.
Furthermore, the mall shows signs of neglect and vacancy of the site
often attracts unwanted delinquent behaviour in the area.
Heron Gate Mall is one of a number of moderately sized commercial
nodes in Ottawa that is well connected to public transit. The existing
accessibility of public transit is favorable when housing those without
automobiles, a scenario quite common for those relatively new to Canada.
Furthermore, many commercial centres may serve existing
neighbourhoods close to schools and other community services while
local amenities are located on site which families can greatly benefit from.
For these simple reasons, affordable housing located on commercial
developments can be ideal for those arriving without a significant amount
of resources.
57
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
The proposal to incorporate affordable housing for New Canadians into
greyfield sites is meant to create a symbiosis (a mutual benefit) between
a co-operative housing community and existing retail centres. Members
of the co-operative can enjoy the convenience of commercial
infrastructure while the activity generated by the co-operative can help re
animate the area. Provisional refurbishments associated with the housing
could help the mall to attract a reasonable anchor tenant while those in
the co-operative could leverage low-cost leases to open small
businesses in the mall. The case of Heron Gate, the mall is in dire need
of retrofitting and the additional construction can help ensure that this
occurs. Another benefit to this approach is the immediate availability of
utility services such as water and heating which could be shared.
In terms of the financial costs associated with such a project, funding
could potentially be channeled through incentives such as tax
forgiveness and can be a way of recognizing further investments needed
by the government to help foster a positive outcome to resettlement.
Figure 30- Original layout of Heron Gate Mall
One of the many complexities to rooftop development is the challenge of
resolving issues of property ownership. The ideal situation would be for a
developer to make affordable rental housing part of a redevelopment plan.
58
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Where extensive redevelopment plans may not be necessary are
foreseen, an alternative could be to arrange some type of lease for
rooftop space. In the case of a lease, however, the owners would most
likely be obligated to come to an agreement to relocate the tenants if any
plans for redevelopment might necessitate the displacement of the
residents. Despite these complexities, I believe that a strong case can
be made for this merger. If clearly planned and orchestrated, I believe
that the incorporation of housing into greyfield sites can benefit the
community at large.
Figure 31 : Proposal Overview
59
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Figure 32: North and South Facade
Figure 33: Rooftop Courtyard Garden
Part of this proposal is constructing a low intensive green roof that can
help mitigate rainwater that is a particular issue of such large structures.
The vegetation can moderate solar heat gain and provide an aesthetic
green space for the residents living above the mall.
60
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Figure 34: Vignette illustrating the nature of the courtyard space
The rooftop courtyard space is surrounded by the housing units which
create a perimeter block around the mall. The rooftop courtyard is a
tranquil space that is designed with simple outdoor elements to help
orchestrate and welcome community gathering. A series of boardwalks
span across the roof and leading to rooftop islands which provide space
for gathering. Some of these islands are fitted with play structures for
children to enjoy while others serve simply as seating areas. The rooftop
courtyard is large enough that it can possibly be fitted with other simple
amenities such as outdoor recreational courts.
61
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Figure 35: Scaffolding: support frame
Steel scaffolding is used to provide the overall framework. It serves as
structural support to accommodate the additional loads and provides
access to the roof via exterior staircases.
Figure 36: Vignette illustrating one example of potential images appearing on the scaffolding which acts as canvas for the display of art (for instance paintings by the Group of Seven).
62
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
The scaffolding also serves as a relatively inexpensive and simple way of
adding a unique character to the mundane nature of the existing structure.
The existing elevation of this enclosed mall is simply a blank masonry
facade that has little character and sense of identity. The use of textiles
intended to envelope the exterior of the scaffolding creates a translucent
screen that help diffuse solar rays, delineates a covered walkway, and
becomes a surface which can be continuously adapted in creative ways.
The screens can serve as giant canvases for the display of art or
advertising that celebrates the immense scale of the structure by taking
advantage of an opportunity to enhance the urban environment. During
the evening, lights from the houses behind the screen animate the
surface of the building acting as a lantern.
Figure 37: Modular Housing Exterior view
For this proposal, housing units are envisioned to be comprised of a
series prefabricated modules. Modules are designed along typical
dimensions that allow for units to be easily transferred on site.
In this scheme, two storey townhouses are intended to be stacked above
a single storey flat. The townhouses have three bedrooms to
accommodate a household of four while the flat has two bedrooms to
63
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
appropriate for smaller households. There also exists the possibility for
units to be joined vertically to create a three story townhouse that can
accommodate much larger families or a multi-generational household in
need of space.
Figure 38: Floor Plan: Layouts
This proposal for Heron Gate Mall represents a strategy that could
potentially be translated and implemented on other commercial centres.
64
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4.2 Re-Adaptation, and Alternative Applications
The initial strategy is to introduce housing as a rooftop addition to
commercial retail centres. This could avoid lengthy and unnecessary
disruptions to current tenants by using prefabricated building techniques
to minimize impact and phase in new additions to the building. While
this has been the main premise of the project, the ability for further
redevelopment to occur is also imperative. Owners of commercial
developments may not necessarily be willing to commit to such a
potentially long-term arrangement and would be more inclined to focus
on their own interest. By envisioning an arrangement that has the
potential to re-adapt, the proposal can become more appealing as a
means to provide an ideal temporary housing arrangement while still
allowing the owners to keep their options open.
As previously noted, large obsolescent malls are commonly undergoing
redevelopment that implements New Urbanist principles in order to
create mixed-use neighbourhood developments. In the case of Heron
Gate, the mall is currently envisioned to undergo redevelopment to
demolish the enclosed portion in the structure in favour of having a
composition of smaller buildings scattered around the site closer to
existing roads. The two main anchor stores are expected to remain
unaltered. This can be seen potentially as a first step towards creating a
mixed-use development seeing as the site remains underdeveloped with
significant space for further buildings to occur.
With respects to the current redevelopment plan, this project proposal
anticipates the change. Parts of the project can be dismantled and
reconstituted on site. The houses can be refurbished and used as row
houses or become apartments placed above the newly constructed
buildings.
65
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
•*> j " - y-
^ - * / > ; /
Figure 39 Existing redevelopment plans as proposed
Figure 40 Phase 2 Proposal (anticipating redevelopment)
66
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Figure 4 1 : Manufactured Infill homes
In the most extreme case, the housing modules could be reconstituted
as detached infill houses. Alternate modules can be designed and
created and be added or substituted to make unique single family homes
if desired. Another humanitarian application which these modular
houses could be used to address is emergency housing along the lines
of the 'Katrina Cottages'. The most fundamental elements could be part
of an initial arrangement and the house could be expanded or altered as
situations change and contribute to an incremental approach to
rebuilding after disaster.
The adaptability of the dwellings anticipates the changing needs of
households while the framework is intended to provide an avenue to
make additions to existing structures in the city. Recognizing the
potential of commercial centres to serve as mixed-use and mixed-income
neighbourhoods can help generate much livelier and significant spaces
where all citizens are better served.
67
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5.0 Conclusions
"Humanitarian intervention can bring victims to a place where
they can re-imagine their own lives and acquire the skills to forge
their own path"
Alex Steffen
World Changing A Users Guide for the 21st Century lz
This thesis was inspired by a humanitarian initiative the citizens of Ottawa
took in resettling nearly 4000 Indochinese refugees back in the 1970's.
Because of this profound act, I wanted to honour this outlook and use my
thesis as an exploration into the relationship and relevance that
architecture can have in humanitarian endeavors.
My focus on resettlement was to engage in a profound aspect of my
family's history and the potential intersection with my studies as a
designer. This thesis was not done in the interest of validating or debating
public policies or trying to propose an agenda to resettle as many
refugees in Canada. I was compelled to consider the influence that
architectural discourse and ingenuity could have in the prospect of
helping sponsored refugees resettle as a more comprehensive approach
to this humanitarian initiative.
Part of the resettlement process is reliant on the provision of affordable
housing needed to help address the prospect of New Canadians. As
stated in this thesis, the importance of a stable housing arrangement can
potentially ease the difficulties which many newcomers face in adapting
to a foreign society. Their housing situations and impressions of their
neighbourhood surroundings influence their emotional feelings of
resettlement while poor housing conditions can further stigmatize them
72 Alex Steffen World Changing: a User's Guide for the 21st Century (New York Abrams, 2006), p 207
68
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from the rest of society. The fundamental point that this thesis has strove
to address is that the discussion of architecture and urbanism has
implications in realizing a more conscious and comprehensive approach
to resettlement.
The purpose of this thesis was to maintain focus on its main inspiration
which is the prospect of resettling sponsored refugees. This was not
meant to dismiss the plight of many existing vulnerable populations who
share similar concerns. The premise of this thesis addresses those who
are entering Canada as refugees through sponsorship who intend to
become contributors to Canadian society and the provision of an
additional avenue of affordable housing provides a better opportunity for
this to be realized. The emphasis on housing co-operatives was meant to
bring together those who share this ambition and provide that opportunity.
While one aspect of the discussion is having an appropriate program to
realize this mission, the design and form of housing used to compliment
the program is the other. The approach and proposal which was taken in
the thesis was not meant to overlook the effectiveness of traditional
neighbourhood developments. In some respects, the proposition of the
development of housing on commercial retail sites suggests the
diminishing amount of urban land for development, but the more
fundamental purpose is to better utilize and enhance the infrastructure in
existing neighbourhoods.
The use of prefabricated techniques in housing remains significant in
regards to addressing the global crises of shelter because of a number of
practical considerations. The mobility, relative ease in construction, and
economies potentially created from efficiencies in the process continue to
intrigue designers as a way of creating decent housing in hopes of
fulfilling a profound social undertaking.
There are practical reasons for pursuing prefabrication for affordable
housing. Construction and assembly done in a controlled environment
can ensure quality construction that recognizes a desire for durable and 69
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
sound homes. On the other hand, the potential for prefabricated homes to
be reconstituted in different settings and arrangements provides greater
sense of freedom. With this freedom to adapt, buildings can better
anticipate change and avoid becoming obsolete. This remains a strong
possibility when exploring the potential of prefabricated dwellings.
Adaptable dwellings can become part of a system that begins as modest
transitional housing strategically placed in the city and then ultimately be
relocated and altered to establish new communities.
The title of the project proposal, Architecture for Adapting Communities,
is meant to be an allusion to a humanitarian approach that architects can
take in order to assist sponsored refugees. This approach draws
attention to affordable housing that can become hospitable environments
that foster inclusiveness, pride, and wellbeing among residents.
The strategy proposed in this thesis is an alternate approach to greyfield
redevelopment. Design can to be used to generate intrigue and appeal to
those not necessarily interested in such issues. The rationale is that the
approach proposed in this thesis can fundamentally benefit all those
involve. Although admittedly unorthodox, it is meant to generate further
discussion on how designers can respond in a more comprehensive way
to humanitarian initiatives such as the prospect of welcoming sponsored
refugees to become part of Canadian society.
The theme of 'adaptation' is appropriate for this thesis. While the term
reflects the strategy proposed, it also recognizes both the imperative for
sponsored refugees to be able to adapt to Canadian ways of living and to
the changes which the city can possibly undergo to help recognize a
more comprehensive approach to resettlement. In these respects, I
believe the discussion of architecture and urbanism is relevant in the
discussion of refugee resettlement as a humanitarian initiative.
70
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Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
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1995 Print
Lewis, David et al Lewis Tsurumaki Lewis Opportunistic Architecture New
York Princeton Architectural Press, 2008 Print
Mau, Bruce Massive Change London Phaidon, 2004 Print
Melet, Ed, and Eric Vreedenburgh Rooftop Architecture Building on an
Elevated Surface Rotterdam NAi, 2005 Print
Ritchie, Adam, and Randall Thomas Sustainable Urban Design an
Environmental Approach London Taylor & Francis, 2009 Print
Schleifer, Simone, Marta Serrats, and Soley Mireia Casanovas Cloud9
Rooftop Architecture Barcelona, Spain Loft Publications, 2010
Schneider, Tatjana, and Jeremy Till Flexible Housing Oxford, UK
Architectural, 2007 Print
73
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Schonauer, Norbert 6000 Years of Housing New York [u a Norton, 2000
Sewell, John The Shape of the City Toronto Struggles with Modern Planning
Toronto University of Toronto, 1993 Print
Sobel, Lee S , Ellen Greenberg, and Steven Bodzin Grevfields into Goldfields
Dead Malls Become Living Neighborhoods [San Francisco, Calif]
Congress for the New Urbanism, 2002 Print
Steffen, Alex Worldchanging a User's Guide for the 21st Century New York
Abrams, 2006 Print
Towers, Graham An Introduction to Urban Housing Design at Home in the
City Oxford Architectural, 2005 Print
74
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Individual Essays
Dorgan, Kathleen and Evans, Deane "Mainstreaming Good Design in
Affordable Housing Strategies, Obstacles, and Benefits Expanding
Architecture Design as Activism Bell, Bryan, and Katie Wakeford
New York Metropolis, 2008
Feldman, Roberta "Out of the Box Design Innovations in Manufactured
Housing" Expanding Architecture Design as Activism Bell, Bryan,
and Katie Wakeford New York Metropolis, 2008
Haworth, Graham 'Coin Street Housing The Architecture of Engagement"
Sustainable Urban Design Ritchie, Adam, and Randall Thomas
Sustainable Urban Design an Environmental Approach London
Taylor & Francis, 2009 Print
Herman, Gregory "Market Modular" Expanding Architecture Design as
Activism Bell, Bryan, and Katie Wakeford New York Metropolis,
2008
Krager, Chris "Archepreneurs " Expanding Architecture Design as Activism
Bell, Bryan, and Katie Wakeford New York Metropolis, 2008
Naslund, Eric and Sheehan John "Architectural Alchemy" Expanding
Architecture Design as Activism Bell, Bryan, and Katie Wakeford
New York Metropolis, 2008
Shipman, Laura "Migrant Housing" Expanding Architecture Design as
Activism Bell, Bryan, and Katie Wakeford New York Metropolis,
2008
75
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Stor, Kate "100 Years of Humanitarian Design " Architecture for Humanity
Design like You Give a Damn Architectural Responses to
Humanitarian Crises New York, NY Metropolis, 2006
Turrent, David "Coopers Road Estate Regeneration ' Ritchie, Adam, and
Randall Thomas Sustainable Urban Design an Environmental
Approach London Taylor & Francis, 2009 Print
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Journal Articles
Brown, Valerie "Give Me Shelter The Global Housing Crisis " Environmental
Health Perspectives, Vol 111, No 2 (Feb , 2003), pp A92-A99
Fisher, Thomas The Ethics of Housing the Poor" Implications Vol 4, Issue
01
Harris, Richard and Hamnett, Chris "The Myth of the Promised Land The
Social Diffusion of Home Ownership in Britain and North America ' Annals of
the Association of American Geographers, Vol 77, No 2 (Jun , 1987),
pp 173-190
Lanphier, Michael "Canada's Response to Refugees." International
Migration Review, Vol 15, No 1/2, Refugees Today (Spring-Summer, 1981),
pp 113-130 Published by The Center for Migration Studies of New York, Inc
Mays, John 'A Clean Slate"?" The Canadian Architect August 2005
Mercer, John "Canadian Cities and their Immigrants New Realities ' Annals
of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol 538, Being and
Becoming Canada (Mar, 1995), pp 169-184
Milgrom, Richard "Regent Park at 50 ' The Canadian Architect, Aug 1999,
44
Onsite Reivew Migration Issue 24
Presse, Debra and Thomson, Jessie 'The Resettlement Challenge
Integration of Refugees from Protracted Refugee Situations "
77
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Scheinman, Roland "Refugees Goodbye to the Good Old Days " Annals of
the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol 467, The Global
Refugee Problem U S and World Response (May, 1983), pp 78-88
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Reports and Papers
City of Ottawa "The City Housing Strategy 2007-2012 '
Carter, Tom "The Housing Circumstances of Recently Arrived Refugees The
Winnipeg Experience ' July 2008
Chambon, Adnenne et al "Housing Issues Facing Immigrants and Refugees
in Greater Toronto Initial Findings from the Jamaican, Polish and Somali
Communities "
CHMC "Co-operative Housing Programs Evaluation " September 2003
Hulchanski, David "Immigrants and Access to Housing How Welcome are
Newcomers to Canada"?" 1997
Insitt, Benjamin "Housing for All The Social Economy and Homelessness in
British Columbia s Capital Region " Occasional Paper Series, No 06 (Oct,
2008)
Johnson, Jennifer and Talen, Emily "Affordable Housing in New Urbanist
Communities A Survey of Developers ' Housing Policy Debate, Volume 19
Issue 4 Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech 2008
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development "From
Immigration to Integration Local Solutions to a Global Challenge "
Smith, Alastair "Mixed-Income Housing Promise and Reality "
Wayland, Sarah "The Housing Needs of Immigrants and Refugees in Canada
A background paper for the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association "
May 16, 2007
79
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News Articles
Bula, Frances "The neighbourhood mall looks for new directions"
GlobeAdvisor com, Mar 1, 2011
Bula, Frances "The next step for the Canadian mall'?' The Globe and Mail,
Feb 28, 2011
Carey, Elaine "High-rise ghettos In Toronto, visible minorities are pushed into ' pockets of poverty'" Toronto Star, Feb 3, 2001
Davis, Lisa "Malls, the Future of Housing'?" Housing Wire, Mon Dec 29,
2008
Lewis, Jim "The Exigent City " New York Times
Paperny, Anna "Toronto increasingly becoming a city of vertical poverty
" Globe and Mail
Mohammad, Hamdi "Waiting to Live again the realities of refugees in
limbo " The Catalyst, Volume 24, #5, October/November 2001
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Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Web Resources
Architectural Record
Architecture for Humanity
<http //architectureforhumanity org/>
Amnesty International
< http //www amnesty ca/Refugee/Canada php>
Canadian Architect Leonard Avenue Modular Housing
<http //www canadianarchitect com/issues/story aspx?aid=1000212984&type=Print%20A
rchives>
Canadian Housing and Mortgage Co-operation (CHMC)
< http //www cmhc ca/en/index cfm>
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Backgrounder More Support for Resettled Refugees <www cic gc ca>
City of Ottawa Immigration to Ottawa (Statistics)
<http / /www Ottawa ca/city_services/statistics/counts/countsjul_04/mdex
_en shtml>
Habitat for Humanity
<http //www habitat ca/>
Histonca-Dominion Housing and Housing Policy
Housing Prototypes org Murray Grove
<http //www housingprototypes org/projecf?File_No=GB007>
New Panel Homes
<http //www newpanelhomes com/>
OCISO Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization
<http //www ociso org/>
Peabody Trust
<http //www peabody org uk/>
RIBA Royal Institute of Bntish Architecture
Settlement org
<http //www settlement org/index asp>
The Times Online A Guide to Affordable Housing Schemes
UNHCR United Nations Refugee Agency
81
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Appendices
Project Design Development and Presentation Slides
82
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83
Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
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Adaptation: Architecture for Adapting Communities
Notes
1 The United Nations and Refugee Policy
The origin of refugee policy as we recognize it today is rooted in the
aftermath of the Second World War and was in response to the issue of
tens of millions of "displaced persons". The major vehicle for establishing
a global protocol was realized in the formation of the United Nations. The
treaty known as the 1951 Refugee Convention was established to clarify
the rights of refugees. The convention guarantees the right to asylum to
those fleeing violent conflict because their lives and basic human rights
are at risk. Host countries adhering to this protocol understand an
obligation to offer protection until refugees are able to safely return to
their homes.
Granting amnesty is understood to follow two avenues. Inland refugee
claims is the more volatile avenue of immigration because of the
unrestricted nature of such an approach and open to abuse which is
damaging to the system's creditability. This avenue exists to recognize
the fundamental ideas of the Refugee Convention.
The second form of refugee claim is made in the areas of conflict. These
claims are made in established refugee camps which recognize the
severity of the conflict and resort to resettlement in severe circumstances.
Similar to the immigration process, careful consideration must be given to
the adaptability of such people into a host nation such as Canada. Age
and family makeup are considered, education, professional skills, and
language proficiency are all taken into consideration in order to establish
the feasibility of resettlement.
93